Austin Johnson8-22-15AVI 100-Intro to AviationThe Boeing company has a long tradition of building quality aircraft. One of the latest airplanes will replace the already reliable and popular 777-200LR/300ER. Boeing has launched a Boeing 777-8X/9X. After researching the Boeing website, I found out about some of the improvements over the original design that make this already wonderful plane even better. The aircraft will feature a wider interior and will have design influences from the B787. It will also have a composite wing that features folding wingtips for ground maneuvering. The aircraft is longer at over 250 feet long(-9x) as compared to 242 feet (-300ER), As with the previous program before, Boeing partnered with General Electric to make a GE9X engine which is claimed to have one of the most reliable and efficent engines built. It cannot be called the most powerful because the GE90-115B in the outgoing model holds this title. The GE9X engine produces over 100,000 pounds of thrust. The -115B is rated at about 115,300 pounds. The final piece of exciting news is that this aircraft was one in a series for the largest new aircraft order in its history by All-Nippon Airways (ANA) who ordered 14 of these airplanes. This airline was also the launch customer for the 787 airplane. In the latest recent news, the plant that will assemble the all-composite 777 wing is being built and will be complete in May 2016 according to ainonline.com. Finally, the website states that Boeing has orders for over 300 airplanes for the B777-8/9X. Unfortunately the first airplane will achieve delivery until the year 2020. There is speculation that this very airplane may lead to the demise of the B747. This newer plane can carry almost as many if not more passengers and has the same range and can do it all on only two engines. To back this up, sales of the B747-8 are slumping according to Reuters news service.

Sourecs:http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/16/us-aerospace-jumbo-insight-idUSKBN0N70DR20150416http://www.boeing.com/commercial/777x/#/feature-storieshttp://www.boeing.com/commercial/customers/all-nippon-airways/ana-announced-plans-to-place-777x-order.pagehttp://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/2014-10-21/boeing-breaks-ground-777x-wing-plant